NASA Cancels Planned Spacewalk Due to Medical Concern
NASA has announced the cancellation of a spacewalk scheduled for Thursday outside the International Space Station (ISS) due to a “medical concern” involving an unspecified crew member. This decision was communicated late Wednesday in a statement from the agency.
Medical Situation Under Review
According to the update issued shortly before midnight, NASA is exploring “all options,” which includes the possibility of an earlier conclusion to Crew 11’s mission. While the specific astronaut’s identity or the nature of the medical issue remains confidential-consistent with NASA’s privacy protocols-the agency confirmed that the individual is in a stable condition.
Crew 11, led by commander Zena Cardman and comprised of veteran astronaut Mike Fincke, Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, launched from Earth to the ISS aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon ship on August 1. Initially, the crew was expected to remain aboard the ISS until their replacements arrive in mid-February, with their return to Earth anticipated around February 20.
Scheduled Tasks and Future Plans
Prior to the cancellation, Cardman, 38, and Fincke, 58, who has completed nine spacewalks on previous missions, were set to perform essential tasks during the spacewalk, including completing the construction of a truss to support roll-out solar arrays and executing various maintenance activities. A second spacewalk is scheduled for the following week, featuring two yet-to-be-announced astronauts.
To assist Cardman and Fincke in their preparations for the spacewalk, Yui and fellow astronaut Chris Williams were designated to help with suiting up and organizing the required tools and equipment.
Communication with Mission Control
On Wednesday afternoon, a space-to-ground radio exchange occurred, where Yui requested a private medical conference with mission control in Houston. The ground team confirmed that they would facilitate this request through a private radio channel. During the exchange, Yui also inquired about the availability of a flight surgeon and internal camera views, to which mission control responded affirmatively but noted a lack of internal camera functionality at the time.
As the situation unfolded, NASA’s live audio stream from the ISS, typically accessible on YouTube around the clock, unexpectedly ceased operations without any explanation.
NASA indicated that further updates, including a revised date for the postpstartd spacewalk, would be forthcoming within the next 24 hours.